Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Now that Instagram ads are available to businesses, you’ve probably considered getting in on the action and creating your own. Instagram has over 300 million users and is backed by Facebook, so now is as good a time as any to see how your business can benefit from them. Getting started can be tricky to navigate, so we’ve laid out the process. All you have to do is take some ad-worthy photos!
Getting Started
Before you start creating and running ads, you’ll need to use Facebook’s Power Editor. Once you’re logged in, enter your Instagram account info and go to ‘Create a Campaign.’ Next, scroll over ‘Clicks to Website’ and you’ll see a pop-up: ‘New Create Ads for Instagram.’ Name your ad, ad set, and campaign, and start creating ads just like you would with Facebook.
When creating your ad, you must choose an objective that supports Instagram Ads, which includes the following:
- Click to Website
- Mobile App Installs
- Video Views
- Website Conversions
- Page Post Engagement
After you’re done creating, you have the option to run it on Instagram, Facebook, or both.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Keep in mind, ads on Instagram go through the same approval process as Facebook ads, so those guidelines and practices should be considered.. Check out Facebook Ads’ guidelines for a detailed outline of rules and regulations.
Captivating Photos
As you know, Instagram is a visual app—bright, eye-catching, high-quality pictures are what set businesses apart from the rest. Your ad will not perform as well as what you hope for if your pictures aren’t engaging. Take the time to set up a photo that tells a story and is informative to your followers, and don’t forget that great lighting is key.
You’ll also want to have a plan for hashtags; popular posts have at least 11 hashtags to gain attention, so start tagging away! Be sure to research trending hashtags, and consider creating your own branded hashtag so you can keep track of your followers.
The Illusion of Real Time
Instagram is a platform that is driven by what’s happening right now, so you want your ads to appear as though they are being posted in real time. Consider the time of day when you’re sharing your ads; you wouldn’t post a picture of a sunrise in the middle of the day, right? It’s okay if you wait a day or two to share your photo, as long as it is still relevant and authentic.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Analyzing Your Reach
On other social platforms the goal is to have a high rate of user engagement. However, Instagram is optimized for reach, rather than how users interact. Instagram likes are more telling than comments, so tracking your reach will offer more insight into how your ads are performing..
It will take some time to get the hang of creating Instagram ads, but through trial and error you’ll find what works for your business. When creating an ad, think about your target market and what they find intriguing—soon you’ll be Instagramming ads like a pro.